Pakistan may become T20 WC champions if final is washed out

There are chances that the two teams making it to the final of the ICC Men's Twenty20 World Cup will be declared the combined champions in case the match is washed out, Geo News reported on Thursday.

Pakistan has already cruised into the final of the major cricket event. England and India are set to lock horns in the second semifinal today to become the second finalist team.

A strong rain forecast has jeopardised the highly anticipated match set to be played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne. Australia's Bureau of Meteorology has predicted a 95% rain chance for Melbourne on Sunday.

If Sunday's game is not possible, the final will be played at 3pm on Monday afternoon [9pm PST.] However, Melbourne is likely to receive showers on Monday as well.

According to The Age, the WC organizers are under pressure not to change the start time of the match due to the preferences of global broadcasters. “Every effort will be made to complete the match on the scheduled day,” the T20 World Cup playing conditions state.

“Only if the minimum number of overs necessary to constitute a match cannot be bowled on the scheduled day will the match be completed on the reserve day.”

The T20 WC playing conditions say that if the final is washed out, the trophy will be shared between the two finalists.

Rain has washed away three matches in the current cricketing event. The stadium witnessed England lose to Ireland unexpectedly in a T20 WC match when the match was abandoned due to weather.

The wet spell in Melbourne has somewhat played a role in knocking Australia, the host nation, out of the mega cricket event after they were unable to play England in a must-win match.

Pakistan seal semifinal berth

The Babar Azam-led team won the semi-finals by seven wickets. The Black Caps had set a 153-run target for Pakistan which the Men in Green chased down with ease.

Skipper Babar Azam and wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan had a 105-run partnership. It was in the 12th over that New Zealand dismissed Babar for 53 to end the partnership. At that point, Pakistan required 47 from 43 balls.

But by then, the Men In Green had already gained much ground. Rizwan and Mohammad Haris kept the scoreboard ticking until the wicketkeeper was dismissed via run out at 57.

Haris was caught at short fine leg on the last ball of the 19th over. Right in the next over, Pakistan won the match by seven wickets.

The Men In Green will now face either England or India — who will face off tomorrow.

Earlier, Daryl Mitchell's half-century helped New Zealand set a 153-run target after New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson opted to bat first.